the husband kissed her hand, which now lay like a withered leaf, but which a short time before had been diligently employed in deeds of love for them all.

悲傷的淚水順著他們的臉頰滾落，重重地滴落在地板上，但沒有人說一句話。

tears of sorrow rolled down their cheeks, and fell in heavy drops on the floor, but not a word was spoken.

這裡瀰漫的寂靜訴說著無盡的悲痛。

the silence which reigned here expressed a world of grief.

他們邁著無聲的腳步，仍在抽泣著，離開了房間。

with silent steps, still sobbing, they left the room.

房間裡留著一盞燃燒的燈，一根長長的紅色燈芯高高地伸出火焰之上，火焰在氣流中搖曳著。

A burning light remained in the room, and a long, red wick rose far above the flame, which fluttered in the draught of air.

幾個陌生男人走了進來，把棺材蓋蓋在了死者身上，然後把釘子牢牢地釘了進去；錘子的敲擊聲在房子裡迴盪，也在那些正在滴血的心間迴響。

Strange men came in and placed the lid of the coffin over the dead, and drove the nails firmly in; while the blows of the hammer resounded through the house, and echoed in the hearts that were bleeding.

“你要帶我去哪兒？” 守護天使問道。

“whither art thou leading me?” asked the guardian angel.

“這兒可沒有什麼仙女，她的珍珠能被算作生命中最好的禮物之一。”

“here dwells no fairy whose pearl could be counted amongst the best gifts of life.”

“是的，她就在這兒；就在這神聖的時刻，” 天使指著房間的一個角落回答道，就在那兒 —— 在她生前，母親總是坐在鮮花和畫作中間的那個位置：就在那個地方，她就像這所房子的幸福仙女一樣，迎接過丈夫、孩子和朋友們，並且像一束陽光，把歡樂和愉悅散播在她周圍，她是所有人的中心和核心 —— 就在那個確切的地方，坐著一個陌生女人，穿著長長的、飄逸的衣服，佔據著那位已逝的妻子和母親的位置。

“Yes, she is here; here in this sacred hour,” replied the angel, pointing to a corner of the room; and there, — where in her